Early Dawn
by sporkyforky
Summary: What happens when the person that you care the most about is badly wounded? Who is the person responsible?
1. Chapter 1

Title: Early Dawn

Author:

Summary:

In the early dawn, sunlight would first stream through the cracks in the draperies. Lighting on the floor, a brightly lit crescent ray would reach the opposite wall, the gleam behind the thick curtains growing brighter and brighter until the whole room was aglow. Shadows would lie on the floor, casting darkness around the objects of the room. My eyes would narrow from the brightness as they adjusted to the unrelenting rays. Even if the curtains were pulled closed, there was always even the tiniest bit of light that shone somewhere in the vicinity and this was the fact that made me appreciate it….. The last sunrise.

Where there is darkness, there is light, but I don't believe it now. There is too much difference between the two, like water and fire. I do not believe that the darkness has to be evil, but is rather a notion, like a scapegoat to explain the phenomenon that drags all mortals to their doom. The evil that lays in all mortals hearts…………..

_But am I mortal?_

Questions like this are designed to besiege my mind, and I struggle to confirm the yes and no of the question.

_No. Not mortal. Not human. Should I be?_

Definitely not, I should dare to say. I have been dead for more than a century. Should I be alive now? No mortal can live that long, even if they are in perfect health. One can live to one hundred two, one hundred five maybe, but farther than that? No way, it's like asking what time it is when it's clear that you have a Rolex on your wrist, especially if it's working.

There is a little known fact about me: I am colorblind. There is little color in my world, ever since I woke up screaming my heart out one morning when everything took an Alice in Wonderland twist and turned grayscale. I have forgotten the color red. Even though it is a primary color, I have never been able to see it.

_To me, blood is a dark gray._

How ironic. Blood, the staple of a vampire's life, is unseen in all its crimson glory. I remember the many times that I sat down in my childhood licking a dull gray lollipop, telling my mother that the lollipop tasted delicious, and if she would give me soon. She would frown, and tell me that it was all right.

Fortunately for me, I have learned to identify the varying shades of colors by the shades of gray. Light grays are light colors, and dark gray is red, blue, and deep greens. But I have always been able to see black.

_Always._

This particular morning I am woken up by an insistent pounding on the door to my room. It is the same person who knocks on the door everyday. He is a human, but I know that I can never hurt him, for he is my friend.

The pounding turns into a groan of despair. "Kei," he sighs, "for once, be awake when I'm awake, will you?"

He hears nothing from me except for a small shuffle on my bed. Once the point is clear, I hear his footsteps recede softly back down the hall to the living room.

Getting out of the bed after I'm sure that Sho is in the living room and staying there, I sigh and light a cigarette to cure the nicotine addiction for the time being.

Padding softly to the door, I peek out it carefully. It would be awkward if Sho caught me at this moment. But as always, he has the worst timing.

"Kei?" I resist smacking my forehead, the only reason being my dignity. There's no need to show Sho how embarrassed I am at being caught at such a strange moment.

"Baka," I answer to hide my embarrassment, "I'm already awake." He seems unperturbed, if only a little bit curious.

"Na Kei, I was going to tell you that I'm stepping out for a bit," Sho quietly counters, hands moving into his pockets in a shy manner.

"Have a good time, ne," I tell him sarcastically, "Don't get lost."

The only answer he gives me is a small shake of his head and the words, "Of course."

His blood is a dark gray, staining the sides of my vision with its scent when I open my eyes. He's panting in desperation, clutching at the front of my shirt weakly. The blood is everywhere on Sho, his shirt nothing but a mass of tantalizing blood, flowing from a wound in his shoulder.

I'm frozen in fear, for there is first the smell of blood, such sweet blood. Sho's eyes are half open- he's struggling for consciousness.

"Kei," he gasps, "hosp… ital" The strength suddenly leaves him, and he collapses onto the floor in a heap of exhaustion.

"O god… Sho," I whisper fearfully before running to the phone for the hospital.

It had been a day. Just a day.

The hospital where I take Sho is like any other hospital in the world: it reeks of disinfectant and death. Nurses and doctors overpopulate the place, and there is the clinking of medicine bottles against one another, half full of drugs. There are many deaths in Mallepa, and the hospital is just too crowded for my taste. Luckily for me, I am admitted with only a glare and quite murmurs.

Sho is lying on one of the cheap beds that crowd the hospital wards. Room 313, I note, as I open the door open a little further hesitantly. He is asleep, and won't wake up anytime soon. The doctors have already determined that he is not in a coma- he nearly disabled an orderly while slipping in and out of consciousness. An after the battle reaction, I tell them.

I suddenly spot Shinji at one of the chairs at the corner of the room, lost in his thoughts in a miserable way.

"Was he awake?" I ask him with concern.

"No," he replies blandly, "Not a sign."

"I'll find out who did this."

"You do that." We stare at each other for a long moment, a mutual understanding between us. Our thoughts are directed at the well-being of Sho for now.

And that is all that matters.


	2. Chapter 2

Early Dawn Ch. 2

That's right everyone, Ch. 2 is finally up! -- To my disappointment, my writing seems to get worst every time I write. This writer's block can't go on forever. I hope you like this chapter, minna-sama!

This night, I amble slowly down the streets on the way to Son's house, cigarette lighted in my hand, the flare like a beacon. I lean against a random pole somewhere on the street to contemplate the event of the day, while a red stoplight blinks out of the corner of my eye, signaling to no one in sight on the street. Naturally, I feel worried about Sho and his condition. It feels like a punch in the gut to see a friend like that. I also feel, however, due to a certain lack of nutrition from the past few days, guilty about the lack of blood in me, and to see so much of it in Sho.

Ignoring these new depressing thoughts, I stare in silence at the derelict apartment before me. It is worn down from the hard years, yet humans and other creatures inhabit it, despite the danger of such a structure collapsing before their very eyes. Are the desperate so needy to desire and take anything that vaguely resembles nothing more than an overly tall pile of shacks? I sigh to myself and move on, straightening myself off of the pole. There are no humans following me, but I set off on a power walk anyway to Son's apartment building, stubbing my fag end into a nearby shrub (therefore utilizing it) along the way.

Son's apartment rests on the very top of a high rise in a low crime neighborhood, compared to the rest of Mallepa, of course. To stand on the very edge of the walled precipice and peer down is enough to make anyone, even me, queasy. It's not, of course, the height itself that scares people, but the ground itself. Walking up all those stairs to Son's apartment (the one elevator is out of order, it's a hassle every time just to get to just the third floor) leaves me panting for breath at Son's door. Knocking softly upon it, I inquire if the household is home. Hearing a mumble of "Come in," I step into a heavy and harsh contrast and heavy lighting and the hallway illumination.

"Yi-che's out for groceries," Son, sitting at the kitchen table, tells me as I enter. I sit down, at his invitation, across from his, pretending to admire the quickly drying plants on the windowsill. A pizza box sits on the table a very familiar name etched onto it.

"Happy Pizza?" I inquire, raising an eyebrow at the store's name on the box, "It's obvious that you received this from Toshi, you know."

"He left before you came," Son answers,"Want a slice?" He opens the box and offers me a slice, taking one for himself.

"I don't eat."

"You on a diet or something?" I wince at his accent, and stay silent. However, the issue of Sho is eventually brought up from the back of my mind, and I can't stall it with small talk anymore.

"Sho's hurt, Son," I start out before Son can say another word. A small flicker of disbelief and shock crosses his face, but he stays as composed as possible, and asks, his voices steady, "How?"

"I don't know how. Sho's lost a lot of blood, and wounds on various wounds of varying severity. He'll have a full recovery, despite this." Son, hearing this, sighs in utter relief and leans back in his chair, as a sign of respite.

"So where is he? At the hospital in the South Ward?"

"No, Sho's at the hospital in the West Ward."

"I'll visit him tomorrow, when I get the time to. I'm supposed to be planning our next job."

"Will we have to do this without Sho?" I ask Son, thinking all the while about Sho's inability at the moment. Sho's our best shot, not including me, because vampire skill perks aren't a valid reason for humans. Son can shoot with two guns at once, like Sho, but he doesn't have the same aim, skill, and accuracy as Sho's.

"We'll think of something to make up for the lack of Sho's skills," Son smirks, obviously understanding my thoughts to the letter, smirk then turning in to a friendly smile of amusement at the bewildered expression on my face. Caught off guard (once again, it seems), I can only shake off my embarrassment. Standing up, I make to exit the apartment, but instead notice a picture frame sitting erect on a side table. There's a man in the picture, and another one...

"Is that your father and his close friend?" I ask Son. The likeness to one of the men in the picture to Son is unmistakable, they're obviously related.

"You're half right. It's my father and uncle. My father died years ago in a shooting, but my uncle's still around. I've never met him before, but he seems to be a wealthy, if not, successful man." He tells me, smiling sadly at the framed photo.

I nod, sensing that it is time to leave, and do.


	3. Chapter 3

Ch3 Early Dawn

Fu. Fu. Fu. It's been so long…….. you must think that I'm dead or something……. Well I'm not! I've never felt better!!! Sugar does great things, yes?

As I've haven't put up a disclaimer for any of my stories, so here goes: I do not, never will, own Moon Child or any of its characters. But if I did…….. let's just say…….. nothing on the subject….

* * *

The way home from Son's house is simple. It's very late in the night, when even the birds are sleeping, and only the streetlights are guiding me. I have a good sense of sight in the dark, but it only benefits me up to a certain point. Arriving home, I'm tired enough to crash onto the couch in an undignified heap, only to find that I'm in desperate need of a shower and some fresh clothes. Damn. 

And so, approximately twenty minutes later, I'm toweling my hair in a calm matter when the phone rings, blaring unnaturally loud in my ears. Dropping everything (except for the towel around my waist, in a show of good common sense), and nearly tripping over a couch leg, I manage to answer the phone in good grace. I am expecting to be Son, with information about our next job, but it turns out to be someone else….

"Shinji-kun?"

"Sho's at the hospital," Shinji, on the other side, begins in a gruff tone, obviously somewhat put off, "He's conscious and a bit disoriented, bit never less awake. He's asking for you." I can hear more than enough bitterness in his voice, but choose not to comment on it, for time's sake.

"Is he still at the hospital?"

"Yes," Shinji replies, and hangs up immediately, after this singular word is uttered.

Hanging up also, I proceed to hurriedly dry my hair and dress, thinking to myself all the while. Shinji is obviously annoyed at me, that's all I can say.

* * *

The hospital looks the same as ever, except for small white banners littering the grounds. I'm rushed for time, using vampiric speed to arrive at Room 313 in a flash. If Sho's unconscious again, then I won't be able to find out what happened. 

Luckily for me, Sho is wide awake, propped up by pillows on the hospital bed, a hot mug of coffee at his side. He isn't surprised is to see me at all, but Shinji is. I really doubt his eyebrows can show anymore irritation, but somehow, they can. Cigarette and light in hand, he glares at me venomously.

"Hi Kei!" Sho practically chirps as I switch my gaze onto him, his smile the exact opposite of his brother's. I offer him a tired smile and sit in a chair conveniently placed next to his hospital bed. Sho doesn't seem to be traumatized at all, and if I didn't know better, I would say that he was in the hospital only for a simple checkup. The bigger parts of his bandages are hidden by his shirt, preventing me from seeing all, but despite this, I ask:

"Sho, do you remember anything about what happened to you before you ended into the hospital?" Sho, being totally innocent for once, only looks confused and replies, "Remember what, Kei?"

I'm a bit shocked for a moment, and am struck speechless, sputtering indignantly, "What?"

"He obviously can't remember anything that happened to him." Shinji snaps irritably. Cigarette finished, he stubs it out on a nearby table, leaving a black stump. Lighting another, he sits back contently as the cigarette flares.

"But how-" I try again, but am cut off by Sho's shrugging. He taps a rhythm on the bed sheet, humming a simple tune. Shinji just rolls his eyes, and leaves, slamming the door behind him.

"Kei, I do remember something….. before I passed out. I was rounding around the corner of an alleyway, and heard some guys speaking Chinese, and then I woke up here. Does that help at all?"

"No," I say to him, trying not to alarm him. The truth is, it's pretty bad if you're targeted by the Chinese. Something could be happening…..

Sighing, I leave the room to ask the doctor if Sho is well enough to leave the hospital yet. The doctor, Doctor Wen, informs me that Sho's current stage is still too fragile to be able to leave the hospital yet, and it would be better to wait a few more days before letting him go home. Nodding to the doctor, I find my way back to the room to Sho.

"You can't go yet, Sho," I tell him as I enter, watching as he pouts like the kid he is.

"Damn well I'm leaving!" Sho fumes angrily, "It's hard enough to stay in a room where the walls are as white as the food tray!"

"You can't go."

"I'll leave with or without your help, Kei!" Sho retorts as he manages to scramble out of bed.

This win-lose (or, rather, lose- lose) situation strikes me as a hopeless one, so I stay silent as Sho struggles to change his clothes and collect his few items of possession, wincing in pain all the while. The stubborn look on his face reminds me of his stubborn younger self, much like me when I was younger. I don't have many memories of when I was younger, but the most important ones stay with me…

"Never mind, then," I say to him, and start for the door, "I'll tell the doctor that you're leaving anyway, despite your wounds."

"What about my wounds?"

"The doctor says that they haven't healed enough yet for you to-"

"Oh, screw the wounds," Sho mutters furiously, "I'm leaving now," he declares, marching ahead of me to the door and wrenching it open.

* * *

Upon leaving the hospital, the doctor from earlier rushes to stop us, attempting to reprimand Sho. Sho ignores him, much to my displeasure. 

"What is it?" I ask the doctor. He pushes a card into my hand.

"Sho's not well enough to leave. But if he must, call me if he gets worse." The doctor tells me.

"I will," I reply, and leave with Sho in the lead.

Out of the hospital and in the car, me driving, we pass several traffic lights in silence. Sho's almost asleep now; his head leaning back onto the seat, drifting off into blissful peace. But it appears that he's not really all that tired, because he asks me:

"Kei… if anything happened to me, would you… help me?"

And then, I am astounded by the cheesiness of it all, yet touched. It's not every day when you see Sho so truthful. Most of the time, there's something like a wall between us, not letting much from getting through to each other. By this time, I'm so caught up in my thoughts that I barely notice the faint whisper of "Kei?" from Sho. However, even a sound this small would alert me (even while driving).

"Yes," I hear myself saying, "I think I would.

* * *

Reviews/comments appreciated --


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